The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for delivering particulate materials while minimizing the escape of dust. The invention has utility in many fields, but has particular utility in connection with systems for delivering animal feed to feeders adapted to deposit feed in feeder troughs or pans.
At the present time, there are many systems in which particulate material such as feed, grain or the like is delivered to a receptacle forming part of a utilization device such as an animal feeder or to a transport receptacle, e.g., a barge. In many such systems the delivery of material is automated with the material being intermittently conveyed through elevated feed tubes to a plurality of vertical tubes which direct it to individual utilization devices.
One persistent problem with such systems has been the release of substantial amounts of dust into the atmosphere. This dust has been found to be deleterious to both the health of the human workers and, in the case of animal feeders, to the livestock being fed. One approach which has been taken to the solution of this problem in the animal feeding field is the addition of tallow or soybean oil to the feed. It has been found, for example, that 2.5% of added fat results in a 21% dust reduction, while 5% added fat reduces dust levels 49.1%. The use of fat at the lower 2.5% level results in an added cost of $4.50 per hog. On a percentage basis, this increases the producers cost by nearly 7%.